Spray device



July 12,1955 H. 1.. RICHARDSON 7 ,7 6

SPRAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HARRY L, RICHARDSON BY v QM ATTORNEYS July 12, 1955 H. 1.. RICHARDSON SPRAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 21 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY L. RICHARDSQN ATTORNEY United States Patent iiice 2,712,?l'3i Patented July 12, 1955 SPRAY DEVICE Harry L. Richardson, Bound Broolr, N. fi, assignor to Research Corporation, New York, N. 1 a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 201,995

2 Claims. (Cl. 299-59) This invention relates to improvements in spray devices, and in particular to jacketed self-cleaning spray devices.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a sprayer having a self-cleaning nozzle and supply line.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein hot gases are employed as the cleaning and protecting medium.

Another object is to provide a self-cleaning sprayer that is simple as to its parts, inexpensive to manufacture, and readily adaptable to various operating conditions.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a sprayer of the type described for conditioning dirty gases in spray towers where material build-up on the spray nozzles and supply lines due to chill plate action is particularly disadvantageous.

The chill plate build-up is particularly objectionable when the temperature of the sprayer is below the dew point of the dirty gases through which the sprayer projects, and when the deposits so formed from the suspended material are of a heavy cementitious nature, such as for example fume from farm-manganese blast furnace gases. These cementitious deposits often grow to an extent that they not only interfere with the spray pattern, but actually bend supply pipes on horizontal installations, and make regular maintenance of the sprayer difiicult by growing to a greater diameter than the spray access openings in the gas conditioning towers.

It has been found that the depositing of suspended materials upon spray pipes and nozzles may be substantially eliminated by providing a hot gaseous protective envelope or layer about the spray nozzle and supply pipes.

Generally these and other objects and advantages are provided by: a self-cleaning spray device comprising a head including a spray nozzle, a conduit for supplying liquid to the head and conduit means concentric with the liquid supply conduit providing an annular outlet adjacent the head rearwardly of the spray nozzle open- The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of a spray head and supply pipes constructed in accordance with the principle of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the sprayer shown in Fig. l, to more clearly show a typical nozzle modified in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a gas conditioning and cleaning tower provided with the self-cleaning and protecting liquid spray means of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is the spray fluid supply pipe provided with a spray nozzle 12 at one end. A substantial portion of the lower end of the supply pipe 10 is encased in a spaced cylindrical sleeve 14, open at its lower end 16, and connected to supply pipe 10 at its upper end through a T 18 and reducer 20. A gas supply line 22 and gas control valve 24 are fitted to a reducer 26 which is threaded to the remaining nipple 28 of T 18.

A valve 30 is provided in the spray fiuid supply pipe 10 above the T 18.

The nozzle 12, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, comprises a main body portion 32, an aperture plate 34 and plate retaining cap 36. The external surfaces of the body portion 32 and retaining cap 36 have smoothly rounded contours so that the normal expansion flow of the gas issuing from the open end 16 of casing or sleeve 14, and the aspirating action of the spray fluid issuing from the nozzle tip will cause the gas to follow a path about the nozzle substantially as shown by the arrows in the drawing, thus providing a gaseous protective envelope about the spray head and nozzle.

In Fig. 4 the sprayer of the invention is shown in a gas cleaning and conditioning tower 40 having a gas inlet 42 and a gas outlet 44. The spray fluid supply pipe 10 with its casing 14 is inserted into a suitable spray access opening 46 in the gas conditioning tower to a distance not exceeding the length of the casing 14, exclusive of the T 18 and control valves 24 and 30. The upper end of pipe it is connected to a suitable supply of water, or other liquid adapted to the particular gas conditioning requirements, while the gas supply line 22 is attached to a source of gas under pressure, for example, steam.

The volume of the spray liquid desired is then controlled by valve 30 and the volume of protecting gas for the spray nozzle and supply pipe is controlled by valve 24. The flow of gas through the casing 14 and about the nozzle 12 substantially prevents deposits of the material, suspended in the gases to be cleaned, upon the sprayer surfaces.

Generally the amount of gas required to keep spray supply pipes and nozzles clean is to a great extent dependent upon the nature of the suspended material in the gas to be treated and the dew point of the gas, and on the temperature and pressure of the spray cleanmg gas.

By way of example, however, it has been found that very satisfactory spray tower operation is obtained for gases containing fume from ferro-manganese blast furnaces at about 700 F., with a steam flow from the casing opening of about 336 pounds per hour at 100 pounds per square inch, where the casing opening is .0573 square inch. Under these conditions it was found that the issuing protective layer of steam substantially reduced chill plate collection on the spray supply pipes and kept the spray nozzles clean without interfering with the spray pattern.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel spray nozzle and supply pipe cleaning and protecting device whereby the aims, objects and advantages of the invention are fully accomplished.

It will be evident that various modifications may be made in the construction of the device, and in the form of the apparatus. For example, the internal construction of nozzle 12 may be of any known type provided the exterior surfaces are modified in accordance with the principles of the invention whereby the normal expansion flow of gas issuing from the end of the casing will form a protective layer about the nozzle.

I claim:

1. In agas conditioning tower, a self cleaning and protecting liquid spray device comprising a liquid supply conduit including a spray head extending into the gas conditioning tower and connected to a source of spray liquid, means to provide a protective film of gas about the periphery of the supply conduit and the spray head within the gas conditioning tower to prevent accretion on the supply conduit and the spray head of material carried by the gas to be conditioned, said means including conduit means concentric with said liquid supply conduit connected to a source of gas under pressure and providing an outlet for the gas adjacent the spray head for supplying a stream of gas about the surface of the spray head.

2. In a gas conditioning tower, a self cleaning and protecting liquid spray device comprising a liquid supply conduit including a spray head extending into the gas conditioning tower and connected to a source of spray liquid, means to provide a protective film of gas about the periphery of the supply conduit and the spray head Within the gas conditioning tower to prevent accretion on the supply conduit and the spray head of material carried by the gas to be conditioned, said means including conduit means concentric with said liquid supply conduit for supplying a stream of gas about the periphery of the liquid supply conduit connected to a source of gas at a temperature above the dew point of the gases to be conditioned, and said concentric conduit means providing a gas stream outlet rearwardly of the spray head opening for supplying a stream of gas about the surface of the spray head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 263,349 Opper Aug. 29, 1882. 938,495 Lundstrum Nov. 2, 1909 1,404,429 Buell et al. Jan. 24, 1922 1,469,993 Carrier Oct. 9, 1923 1,535,491 Partlow Apr. 28, 1925 1,587,401 Myer June 1, 1926 1,645,787 Barnes Oct. 18, 1927 1,662,0 2 Birkenmaier Mar. 6, 1928 1,678,086 Schrader July 24, 1928 1,37,945 Rigby Dec. 3, 1929 1,863,192 Doble June 14, 1932 2,175,608 Lawrence Oct. 10, 1939 2,207,655 Cain July 9, 1940 2,"11,018 Bannson Feb. 16, 1943 2,412,758 Smith Dec. 17, 1946 2,442,898 Maguire June 8, 1948 2 598,304 Richardson May 27, 1952 

